Subterranean current distribution for electric street-cars.



N0. 652,564. Patented June 26, I900. E. VON MAIRHOFEN. CURRENT DISTRIBUTION FOR ELECTRIC STREET CARS.

. (Application filed Mar. 9, 1900.)

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EDUARD VON'MAIRI-IOFEN, OF VVURZBURG, GERMANY.

SUBTERRANEAN CURRENT DISTRIBUTION FOR ELECTRIC STREET-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 652,564, dated June 26, 1900.

Application filed March 9, 1900- Serial No. 8,039. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDUARD VON MAIR- HOFEN, a subject of the King of Bavaria, and a resident of Wiirzburg, Bavaria, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Subterranean Current Distribution for Electric Street-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to subterranean installations for the supply or distribution of electrical current to street-cars wherein sections of line may be mechanically thrown into or out of circuit. These switching operations are effected by the car, as in passing it imparts to a rail a partial revolution about its longitudinal axis by means of a fingerpiece or key, such fractional revolution being transmitted to a lever adapted by its direct action to close the correspondingportion of the conductor. Broadly, arrangements of this description are already known, one in particular being disclosed by the United States Patent No. 511,452 to H. D. Oler, dated December 26, 1893. Those arrangements, however, have been attended by the drawback that the switch mechanism lay in the same channel in which the rail was turned and which necessarily, therefore, comlnunicates with the street or road, whence mud and moisture find access into it and render the switch mechanism liable to damage or destruction. In the arrangement carried out in accordance with this inventionthe defeet just referred to is avoided, as the switch revolves and which is connected to the road way by the guidegroove of the key has a somewhat-steep downward gradient toward one side at the bottom, which by forming a collector for any water that may find its way can thus be readily removed, together with the caisson, the latter being for the purpose raised and thoroughly cleansed from time to time.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view'of the arrangement in accordance with this invention, the channel being partially broken away, so as to show its sectional outline, and one end wall, as well as the upper wall, being omitted from the switch apparatus. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line A B, Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a detail view representing the revoluble rail and the switch-lever connected therewith,

In the center of the section of line parallel to the rails there is provided a subterranean channel or tunnel Ct, having a slot 1) at the top. Under this slot is placed arail c, mounted upon revoluble arms d. One arm d of this longitudinal rail or rod is fitted with a pin or pivot f at one end, which is adapted to turn, together with the arm, and projects into the interior of the contact-box c. or pin at its end carries a further cam g, to the end of which a contact-piece his attached. This arm is constantly being drawn outward by a spring 1', the effect being that the rail or rod 0 below the slot b is maintained in the raised position.

Under the car there is arranged a key wheel 70, which is depressed by a spring Z This wheel travels in the groove 1) and as it does so presses the rail 0 downward, in doing which it overcomes the resistance of the spring 2'. At the same time the arms at turn and move the revoluble arm g, fitted with the contact h, so that the contact-piece It takes up its position between the contactsprings an, electrically connected with the rails of the superstructure or line, whereby current is conducted to the motor in the usual manner. The moment the keywheel 71') has left the section of line the spring t' draws the contact-piece away from between the contactsprings and causes the rail 0 once more to re sume its raised position. It will. thus be seen This pivot IOCI that the rail 0 does not itself act as aconductor, but is simply the mechanical medium for closing the contact in the box 6.

The sectional area of the channel or tunnel is as shown in Fig. 2. Its bottom surface slopes downward. Within it is located a caisson n, of sheetiron, fitted with a hinged lid 0. As this caisson 0r trough is inserted its lid 0 comes to rest upon the bottom of the channel a, as illustrated in Fig.2. Into this trough and over the said lid is admitted any dust or mud which may have collected upon the rail 0 and which is swept off such rail by the key It as it moves past. So, also, does any water run down into the said trough, which may be connected to the sewer in the usual portion a of the channel a maybe removably fitted thereto.

What I claim as my invent-ion, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an electric railway, the combination of a closed switch-box, containing fixed circuit-terminals, a rod not itself acting as a conductor, entering the box, and carrying a circuit-completing piece, and a rail connected to the rod and adapted to be operated by a key-wheel for mechanically closing the circuit between the terminals in the box, substantially as described.

2. In an electric railway, an angular conduit and a removable trough fitting thelower of a closed switch-box having contact-terminals, a rod not itself acting as a conductor entering the box and carryinga contact-piece, a rail connected to the rodand adapted to be operated by a key-wheel for mechanicallyclosing the contacts in the box, the said rail being pivoted'within an angular conduit, and a removable trough with a lid fitting the lower angle, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof'I have signed .my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDUAR D VON MAIRHOFEN.

. Witnesses FRANZ HASSLACHER, MICHAEL VoLK. 

